The occasional thoughts of a writer addicted to Africa. My novels: Far Horizon, Zambezi, African Sky, Safari, Silent Predator, Ivory, The Delta, African Dawn, Dark Heart, The Prey, The Hunter, and An Empty Coast, Red Earth and The Cull. My non-fiction: Part of the Pride by Kevin Richardson and me, War Dogs by Shane Bryant and me, The Grey Man by John Curtis and me, The Lost Battlefield of Kokoda by Brian Freeman and me, and Walking Wounded by Brian Freeman and me.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Holiday pix

I'm alive, Legion of Fans, and so is Mrs Blog, and Mr Truck (Tonka). Mr Sibanda's chook-pooh encrusted clutch plate-i (see post below) has held out, and we have returned to the land of electricity, cold beer, air conditioning and miniature golf (we're staying at Tchipise, a resort based aorund hot springs in the north of South Africa which has all manner of tacky amusements on our doorstep).

Here are some pics we took on the potholed road in Zimbabwe.

This is me drinking black market Foster's Lager in a crocodile cage attached to the back of the good ship "Avalon", the houseboat on which we spent five luxurious days on Lake Kariba.

Avalon is the sister ship of Return to Eden, the boat on which I endured a four-day hangover on or about when I turned 40.

The purpose of the crocodile cage is not to catch reptiles, but to keep them out. As you'll see by the 30cm of freeboard it's perfectly safe. Well done to Mrs B for sourcing smuggled Foster's in strife-torn Zimbabwe (at about a third less than the price I would have spent in Australia for my brew of choice

And here she is, LOF, "Avalon". When on Lake Kariba I now choose to stay on Avalon. With her two bars, cabins with en-suites and numerous fridges and eskies (cold boxes to you Africans out there), Avalon is the last word in leisure cruising, amidst the crocs and hippos and elephants of Zimbabwe's man-made Lake Kariba.

This unknown lady is pictured here with Captain Simon, aboard Avalon's stout tender, which is used as a mobile drinking and fishing platform.

Sometimes, when I'm travelling in Zimbabwe and faced with shortages of diesel, beer and steak, and the depressing sight of supermarket shelves bare of everything bar fabric softener and firewood, I ask myself "why do I bother coming back to this country?"

The answer, of course, is "friends" and Lake Kariba standar picture number 1A.

And now, if you have absolutely nothing at all to do at work or home, you may choose to read an interview with my self at http://www.ozemag.com/